Glucanases are enzymes that break down large polysaccharides via hydrolysis. The product of the hydrolysis reaction is called a glucan, a linear polysaccharide made of up to 1200 glucose monomers, held together with glycosidic bonds.[1] Glucans are abundant in the endosperm cell walls of cereals such as barley, rye, sorghum, rice, and wheat.[1] Glucanases are also referred to as lichenases, hydrolases, glycosidases, glycosyl hydrolases, and/or laminarinases.[1] Many types of glucanases share similar amino acid sequences but vastly different substrates.[1] Of the known endo-glucanases, 1,3-1,4-β-glucanase is considered the most active.[1]
^ abcdePlanas A (December 2000). "Bacterial 1,3-1,4-beta-glucanases: structure, function and protein engineering". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Protein Structure and Molecular Enzymology. 1543 (2): 361–382. doi:10.1016/s0167-4838(00)00231-4. PMID11150614.
